Is It OK to Store Paint in the Garage? Home Improvement Experts Explain

While it might seem like the most obvious storage spot, stashing old tins of paint in the garage could be surprisingly harmful, rendering the leftover product useless. What factors should be considered when choosing a safe storage spot? Below, our experts detail everything you need to know about storing leftover paint in the garage.

Is It Safe to Store Paint in a Garage?

Extreme temperatures ruin paint permanently, which makes garage storage risky. “Florida garages routinely reach 95 to 110 degrees in summer months, while freezing temperatures in northern climates can do the same damage to stored materials,” explains home improvement and construction expert Manny Kavouklis. “With repeated exposure to those temperature extremes, paint can separate and become unusable. We have seen many cans stored in the garage that looked like cottage cheese and lost all utility.”

Because of the dramatic fluctuations these spaces typically experience, storing paint in a garage is acceptable only if the temperature remains stable. “The problem is that most garages aren’t climate-controlled,” says Rob Mullis, franchise owner of Groovy Hues Painting Services. “When water-based paint freezes, it can break the emulsion, leaving the paint separated and unusable. High heat can also damage oil-based paints. It can thicken, break down, and lose its effectiveness.”

Without climate control, it's best to think of a garage as a temporary place to hold paint rather than a place where you'll be able to store it for extended periods of time.

How to Successfully Store Leftover Paint

To extend the usefulness of leftover house paint, our experts recommend abiding by the following rules for successful paint storage.

• Keep it at a steady temperature. Store cans in an environment between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Seal them tightly. Clean spilled paint from the lid before closing, and use a hammer to tightly close the can. If air gets into the can, household paint will rot or dry out (just like an acrylic or crafting paint), says home painting professional Luke Hass.
• Avoid sunlight and protect against humidity. Sunlight will degrade the paint, and moisture can cause rust and compromise the seal's tightness. Keep cans off concrete floors due to moisture concerns. 
• Monitor the age. Use a marker to write the name of the room and the date it was stored so you can track its age.

Alternative Storage Locations to Consider

The best possible storage option for leftover household paint is indoor conditions with a controlled climate. "We recommend that homeowners keep any leftover paint from projects in bedroom closets or laundry rooms, as opposed to garages," says Kavouklis. He suggests "utility closets on the high shelves or some corners in the basement and under-the-stairs storage areas, where moderate temperatures will be present year-round," as ideal storage locations.

"To see if old paint is still usable, test it on a piece of cardboard," adds Kavouklis. "If it applies smoothly and dries uniformly, it’s usable."

Not all hope is lost, though, for your home-painting project if your product has already turned. “Even if the paint can is empty or the paint has gone bad, keep the can,” says Hass. “It usually has all the info you need on it, so more can be made.”